Mike Anthony-The Editor from Arnold

Thinking about the public comments portion of public meetings, reminds me of a story about Mike Anthony (the editor from Arnold). A couple of years ago, while I was on the school board, I mentioned that using the citizens' public comments portion was probably the worst way to communicate with the board. I went on to say we needed to share with the community the various ways people could contact us, i.e.; e-mail, phone calls, visiting, etc. The problem is that normally board members don’t interact with people at the meetings because unless it was posted as an agenda item, it could be a violation of the Sunshine Law. Many people are disappointed that this interaction doesn’t take place and go away frustrated. That week Mike Anthony wrote a long editorial about how I didn’t like the open comments portion and that I should be hung, well maybe he didn’t say hung, but it was something stupid like that. I called him at home and told him I felt he unfairly represented my statement and that I never said I didn’t like it but that it wasn’t a good way to communicate. I asked him why a parent who was upset about something should have to wait three weeks for a meeting when we might be able to give them the information they needed instantly over the phone. “ You shouldn’t be talking to parents,” he told me. I’m sure my voice rose when I asked him why. “Because we couldn’t observe that. You could make a deal!” I had to ask him if he was serious that I shouldn’t be talking to parents. Oh, yes he was serious. I had to get off the phone before I told him what I really thought of him. Where does a guy, who doesn’t even live in our community, get off telling a board member, he shouldn’t talk to a parent or anybody else for that matter? That’s when he got one of his new nicknames: the Journo-fascist.

Call Legal Problems - Ignoring the Law

For those new to our blog, below is just some of the legal problems Bill Milligan and the Call Newspapers have been involved in.

Litigation versus
William & Deborah Milligan
Concord Publications, Inc dba Call Publishing
Call Newspapers

· Case #21C94-18795 Landlord, Darrel D. Climer back rent for over $11,000 Release of Garnishment Oct 27, 1995.
· Case # 21C97-23879 State of Missouri Failure to pay taxes,
· Case #681813 Alonzo Potts- Former Business Partner with Call Publications sues the Milligans and the Call for Breach of Fiduciary Duty, Breach of Contract, and Fraud ($30,000).
· Case # 97CC-001749 continued action to settle previous case by Alonzo Potts- Judgment #781307, March 26th, 2003.
· Case # 21S90-02371 Small claims by Lockos, hostile work environment
· Case #21S90-02372 by Voyles
· Case # 21S96-01019 by Service Assurance Corporation

Against
William T. Milligan

· Case # 21B901359 07/17/90 Adult Abuse brought by Deborah S. Baker (spouse)
· Case #21C98-04554 Failure to pay account Commercial Phone Marketing
· Case #931976939 Failure to register vehicle
· Case # 932000078 speeding
· Case #96010990 Failure to register
· Case #76151990 Failure to appear
· Case #90030990 speeding
· Case #7651990 Failure to appear
· Case #21-94TR-011892 speeding
· Case #94TR-11892
· Case #95TR-7291
· Case # 90TRTR-26455 Disobeyed red light
· 2 cars were totaled in 1990!

Against
Deborah (Baker) Milligan
Case # 613949 Dissolution of marriage 08/14/90

Buttheads

Seen directly in front of Call Publishing's office last Saturday: Honda SUV with license plate holder that said,

" I played in the Butthead Open."

Where else could they play?

Just Ignore the Law

Missouri’s Open Records (Sunshine) Law’s intent is very simple. The public has the right to view public business. This includes meetings and documents. There are some exceptions to protect personal information and a few financial things, but for the most part, that’s it.The Mehlville Fire Board does not attempt to comply with the law’s spirit and intent whatsoever. No meetings for this year are currently posted. Only last year’s are posted on their website. There’s something funny about the postings from last year. If they posted them ahead of time, usually they didn’t happen. Normally, their meetings are posted just over the 24 hours required by the law. Even though they are well aware they intend to meet, they withhold posting. Their last meeting was held on December 27th at 7pm and it was posted on Dec. 26th at 4pm. Could a reasonable person think this met the spirit of law? As I write this, the Lemay Fire board has their January meetings posted, so does the City of Crestwood, etc., etc. Looking through some Suburban Journals, I see last year’s meetings posted for many of our public entities such as the Lemay and Fenton Fire Boards but never the Mehlville Fire Board. Would the Call Newspaper allow such blatant disregard for the law for the other entities they cover? Their favoritism is quite apparent. The hypocrisy continues with your weakly newspaper!

Call Newspapers- Taxes and Corruption

What can most people agree on? We don't like paying taxes. After much discussion, we usually find that taxes are necessary to fund our civililized society. I don't know anyone who thinks we don't need the police and the military. We work through elected officials to establish policies which reflect our needs and desires. We often disagree on the details of these policies, but that makes for American politics. It's better than killing each other over stuff as happens in so many countries. We are fortunate to be part of this great nation.
As I look through public records, I see so many public officals who don't pay their taxes as required by law. Many of these officials have been endorsed or sponsored by Bill Milligan and the Call Newspapers. The Call is again late this year on one of their accounts. Last year, they paid it six months late and only after I contacted them and wrote about it. This is another example of their lack of moral authority to lecture our community's citizens. You can't count on the Call to report on their friends with fiscal improprieties. The amount of tax evasion, fraud, theft, legal contempt, and threats made by these individuals fills the court records yet they are not reported by the Call. These are the same people who set your tax rates and hire staffs that serve your families.
Effective 1/6/2008.
Tax Year:
2008 2007 2006
Account Number:
E00157193
Record Status:
Active
Name:
Call Publishing
Doing Business As:
Call Publishing-Wells Fargo
Taxing Address:
9977 Lin Ferry DrSaint Louis, Missouri 63123 6913
School Sub Code:
138GP
City Code:
106
Site Code:
1624
Total Assessed Value:
810
Tax Rate:
6.3552
Personal Property Tax Due: E00157193
Tax Year
Taxes
Interest
Penalties
Amount Due
2007
$51.49
$1.03
$1.05
$53.57
Total Amount Due >>
$53.57

Last year this account was paid seven months and three days late!

Call Newspaper's Hypocrisy

I've said many times over the years, I have a great deal of respect for the service of Walt Bivins on the Mehlville School Board. He was unmercifully attacked by the Call for enforcing reasonable limitations of time to the public comments portion of their meetings.

The Call has made no such attacks on the Fire Board for much greater restrictions. They only allow comments about listed agenda items. If a citizen wants to speak about fraud, nepotism or favoritism in hiring, this is not allowed. Also, the comments section of the meeting is after the business portion, so citizens can only comment after board action has already been taken.

Why is it OK for the fire district to limit speech during public meetings but not other public entities? Mr. William T. Milligan sponsors rather than reports on Arron Hilmer.

The Mehlville Fire Department and the Call

Looking back over the last couple of months, it appears that most excitement is stirred over our fire district. Since I like to stir it up, lets get back on the subject. As you know, it's a fact that the Call gives our fire board a pass on just about everything. Let's see if we can point out a few of those things.